Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
This Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash is a humble stew loaded with chunks of tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef and vegetables. It features a rich, beefy broth flavored with sweet paprika – authentic comfort food at its best!
Authentic Hungarian Beef Goulash
A while back, Mom shared a recipe with me for Hungarian goulash. She said that it tasted very similar to the beef goulash they ate in Hungary while they visited my sister’s family in Romania. I tucked the copy away with my pile of saved recipes, knowing that some day I’d give it a try.
When I was craving a comfort meal recently, I studied that goulash recipe Mom gave me years ago. Her handwritten notes told how she had altered the recipe to better mimic the bowls of stew they had enjoyed in Hungary.
I also asked my sister Cheryl about her own Hungarian goulash recipe memories, as I knew her family ate this stew regularly while they lived in that area. Cheryl embellished upon Mom’s recipe notes and then gave me a little background on how they used to enjoy goulash.
I have since created this recipe for Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash. It’s hearty, rich in beef flavor, and oh-so comforting – absolutely perfect for a chilly day.
My Family’s First Taste of Hungarian Goulash
My sister and her husband Dave and two young kids lived in Oradea, Romania for two years. Cheryl shared that whenever they traveled from the airport in Budapest, Hungary to Oradea, they would stop at a certain small roadside panzió (Hungarian for boarding house, small hotel, or bed and breakfast) along the way for a bowl of their hot goulash.
Romanian friends had recommended this particular panzió to Cheryl and Dave. The owners cooked the goulash in a large cast iron pot over the fire (the most authentic way to make goulash), and then served the humble stew with loaves of fresh, crusty bread for dunking and swiping up every last drop of goodness.
I asked Mom and Cheryl to send me a few pictures from the time they spent together visiting Budapest and Vienna, Austria that summer, when my parents ate their first Hungarian goulash. I am sharing a few of those photos after the recipe, if you’d like to take a look.
What is Goulash?
Goulash is a simple stew of beef and vegetables, with a good dose of Hungary’s trademark paprika.
Its origin can be traced back to the 9th century, to stews eaten by Hungarian shepherds. The name originates from the Hungarian gulyás. The word gulya means ‘herd of cattle’ in Hungarian, and gulyás means ‘herdsman’ or ‘cowboy’.
Goulash is a common meal of Central Europe, and one of the national dishes of Hungary. Hungrian goulash is different from American goulash as well. The American version usually has noodles, whereas the Hungarian version focuses more on meat and potatoes, and is also spiced with paprika.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef Chuck Roast, cut into cubes
- Carrots, cut into thick slices
- Red Potatoes, cut into cubes
- Mushrooms, quartered
- Yellow Onion, chopped
- Garlic, minced
- Beef Broth – I recommend a low-sodium broth, so you can control the amount of salt.
- Tomato Paste – Just a little bit adds rich flavor to this dish!
- Worcestershire Sauce – This adds beautiful depth to the beef flavor.
- Hungarian Sweet Paprika – I know the amount seems like alot, but just trust me!
- Brown Sugar
- Dry Mustard
- Salt & Pepper
How to Make Hungarian Goulash
This stew could be simmered for hours on the stovetop – or in a big kettle over an open fire, if you want to be truly authentic.
But I chose to let the slow cooker do the work!
Here’s how to make this SUPER EASY Hungarian Goulash recipe:
- Place beef in slow cooker, and then cover with carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.
- In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and then add mixture to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is ultra tender.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
This is a simple dish and I have just a few simple tips for you!
Use a flavorful cut of beef. An inexpensive cut is best – beef chuck is my #1 choice. It’s full of flavor and the slow cooker will magically transform this otherwise tough cut of meat into irresistible, fork-tender bites of beefy heaven. If you can’t find chuck, top round would be my second choice.
ALWAYS include Hungarian paprika! There are many different kinds of paprika, but I always look for “Hungarian sweet paprika” for this recipe. If you use a spicier paprika, you will probably want to cut back on the quantity (unless you LOVE all things SPICY!).
Don’t skimp on the cook time. The slow cooking process produces a stew with an intense, well-rounded flavor and fabulously tender chunks of beef. My recipe states a cook time of 4 to 6 hours – and while it usually doesn’t take 6 hours for the beef to become fork-tender, I always allow that time to ensure the best flavor and texture.
Serving Suggestions
The broth is wonderfully rich and beefy, with a hint of tomato flavor. It just begs to be sopped up by some warm, crusty bread or tender biscuits. For a little different twist on bread, try these honey cornbread muffins – my family goes crazy for them!
This stew would also be wonderful ladled over the top of steaming hot mashed potatoes. Although I might then alter the goulash recipe to delete the chopped potatoes and add more carrots and mushrooms.
Noodles would also be great. I would recommend some wide egg noodles, cooked just to al dente. Add some of the hot noodles to a plate or bowl and then ladle the goulash over the top.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Hungarian goulash makes great leftovers…and you know how I live for leftovers!!
This homemade stew recipe will keep very well for a few days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply reheat single or multiple servings in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Goulash also freezes perfectly. Use either larger freezer-safe containers or smaller single-serving freezer containers, and then thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating. It’s so wonderful to have goulash on hand for a quick, delicious homemade meal!
A few more soups and stews you might like! Try my Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew, this Slow Cooker Beef and Sweet Potato Soup, and the always popular Lasagna Soup!
Like this homemade stew recipe? Save it to Pinterest!
Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
This humble stew is loaded with chunks of tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef and vegetables. A rich, beefy broth flavored with sweet paprika makes this a true comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. beef chuck roast, cut into 1" cubes
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2" diagonals
- 4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
- 16 oz. whole fresh mushrooms, quartered
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 4 c. low sodium beef broth
- 3 T. tomato paste
- 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 c. Hungarian sweet paprika
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place beef in slow cooker, and then cover with carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients (except parsley, if you are using it for a garnish) and then add mixture to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.
- Cover slow cooker and turn heat to high. Cook for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is ultra tender (I usually plan on 6 hours).
- To serve, ladle goulash into bowls and offer a warm loaf of fresh crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
From my mom’s recipe box…heavily adapted from this recipe, with input from Mom and my sister Cheryl from their travels to Hungary and Austria.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 562Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 745mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 5gSugar: 11gProtein: 48g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
And here are a few more stew recipes from my friends!
- Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa from Cookin’ Canuck
- Spicy Cabbage and Pork Stew from Big Bear’s Wife
- Green Chile Stew from Barefeet in the Kitchen
As promised, here are a few photos from when my parents visited my sister’s family while they lived in Romania:
A highlight of my parents’ trip was visiting Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. A former imperial 1,441-room summer residence, it is now a major tourist attraction.
The grounds are meticulously kept, and are home to numerous gardens, pools, fountains, and sculptures…and a maze!
(Schönbrunn Palace is shown in the top photo. The Palm House, on the palace grounds, is in the bottom photo, with Mom, Dad, and Cheryl and Dave’s kids in the foreground.)
Pictured on the left are Cheryl and Dave with their son and daughter in front of the Neptune Fountain at Schönbrunn Palace. The grounds also feature the world’s oldest zoo, constructed in 1752 (bottom right).
While in Vienna, they also visited St. Stephens Cathedral, a medieval limestone landmark. It was constructed in 1147 and named after the first known Christian martyr. Massive in size, sitting atop underground tombs, catacombs, and crypts, it houses 18 altars in the main part of the church, plus more in various chapels.
I found information on the Schönbrunn Palace and St. Stephens Cathedral completely fascinating. As my dad always says, “google it”. The history on these places is amazing.
(Left photo is of St. Stephens Cathedral. Top right photo is of Dad, Mom, and Cheryl and Dave’s kids sitting along the Danube River. Middle right photo is of Cheryl and Dave’s family taking a carriage ride in Vienna. And the bottom right photo is of a pianist playing in the street near the cathedral.)
Thank you to Mom and Cheryl for sharing your memories and your photos. This post was previously published in 2014. Photographs and some of the text were updated in 2018 and 2020.
I am Hungarian and I like your recipes. I am so happy to see a Hungarian recipe here. Hungarian Gulyás (Goulas) is a thick soup. Hungary and Austria are beautiful, you have to visit them! Sorry for my English…. :)
Where do you get the sweet paprika ? I saw “Smokey” and “Hot/Spicey” and just plain but no “Sweet” ….
I grew up eating my Grandfather’s version of goulash, so I’m excited to try yours! (And all those gorgeous pictures…now I want to travel!!)
I lived in Budapest for a couple of years and I have to say, this goulash looks really authentic. Hungarian goulash is a lot more watery compared to what most people think as goulash. I’ll have to try your recipe for sure.
That’s a beautiful compliment, thank you! I asked my sister and my mom alot of questions about it. Without actually having it for myself in Budapest, I had to go off of their descriptions and memories. If you try this, I’d love to know what you think.
Where can you buy the paprika?
I am drooling over this recipe – gorgeous photos as well! Austria is beautiful!
My grandmother used to make goulash when I was growing up…I am cooking this recipe tomorrow and I can hardly wait! I know it’s going to be delicious thank you so much for this recipe!
I hope you like it, Becky! Thank you so much for visiting!
I am German and I grew up with this recipe! Your version sounds really yummy and I will give it a try! I sometimes add it to pasta or rice to make it even more filling.
Thanks Marita
Well, I hope you like this! My dad likes to eat his goulash over mashed potatoes…a very warm and hearty meal!
Beautiful post, both food and photos! My Mom and I visited the cities where her father had grown up – Prague, Vienna and Budapest – and had a wonderful time eating and exploring. Did you know that all three of these cities have Roman ruins? In Vienna, they are 60 feet below today’s city. They were found during a construction project.
The history in these places is incredible! It’s hard to fathom ruins that far below ground level, but experienced that when we visited my sister’s family in Cairo, Egypt a couple years ago. Makes a person realize how “young” our country is!! Thank you so much for your comment!
This looks so good on this cold winter’s eve.
You’re going to make it, right?! ;)
I have it in the crock pot right now. So excited for dinner tonight.
I hope you liked it, Sarah!
It was so fun to see how you put this post together Brenda, and it brought back so many wonderful memories. Now my mouth is watering for Hungarian Goulash!!
Thanks, Mom – I hope you like this version! xo
I love this post and how it combines two of my favorite things… food and travel!!! Thanks for sharing such a special recipe.
And Favorite Thing #3…beef! :) Thanks, Meredith!
I loved reading this post and looking through the pictures. Very fun!!
And the soup!! Sounds so great. I love the hearty, cozy flavors!
Thank you so much, Tieghan!
What a wonderful comforting dinner. I know I would love it!
Brenda, the recipe says 1/4 c. Hungarian Paprika is that right?
Yes, it is, Wendy. And I used sweet Hungarian paprika, not regular paprika, so it really isn’t spicy. It’s just warm and flavorful.
What a great recipe to post this time of year when all I can think of is comfort food, soups and stews. Using a crockpot is even better! Can’t wait to try this recipe! Happy weekend Brenda!
Hope you like it, Wendy!! :)
So fun…I found this recipe on Pinterest and came to your blog and what did I see…Vienna! My daughter, son in law and grandson live there as missionaries and my husband and I went there this past summer for 3 weeks. We went to Schonbrunn and it was AMAZING!
How wonderful for you to have visited there, too! That’s why my sister’s family was living over there, too. :)
Thank you Brenda for the beautiful recipes and pictures. Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!
You’re so welcome, Liz – thank you for always following along! :)
Would like to give this a try – but I don’t have Hungarian sweet paprika. Would the dish taste very differently if I use regular paprika?
Yes, this would taste different. Regular paprika usually has more chili flavor to it = more spicy. The sweet Hungarian paprika is just warm and flavorful and very lovely. If using regular, I’d cut it back quite a bit.
You can buy it on AMAZON.
Or even in hungarian shop